Another year, another videogame iteration of the world's most popular fantasy card game - only this time Duels of the Planeswalkers will also appear on the Android operating system.

Since 2009, Wizards of the Coast has been releasing annual updates to the videogame incarnation of its wildly popular Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. Though the series has long been attached to the unwieldy subtitle "Duels of the Planeswalkers," the most important part of each release's title is the number indicating which year it ostensibly represents. Similar to EA's beloved/loathed Madden NFL franchise, the latest version of the Magic games is officially titled Magic 2014 - Duels of the Planeswalkers, despite the game featuring a release date that will almost certainly fall within the 2013 calendar year.

Baffling naming schemes aside, the latest addition to the Magic: The Gathering line features the standard, incremental updates fans have come to expect from the series: Slightly improved graphics (though, to be fair, there's only so much a developer can do to make a card game appear aesthetically interesting), new cards and decks, and what Wizards of the Coast describes as "a more focused integration between online and offline play." Have a look at the game's official description:

Magic 2014 - Duels of the Planeswalkers builds on the success of previous games in the franchise and adds all new features including an immersive storyline, 10 brand new decks, 15 new encounters, 10 new puzzle challenges, and an all-new play mode in addition to other exciting features. Magic 2014 players will get the first look at cards from the Magic 2014 Core Set in Duels of the Planeswalkers, creating even more seamless integration between the online and offline games.

The most interesting new feature introduced to the franchise with its "2014" iteration is that finally the title will be available to those of you using gadgets powered by the Android operating system. The game will also be found on the Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, iPad and Steam platforms, but that's to be expected. The franchise's Android debut, by contrast, is totally novel.

Notably absent from this morning's announcement is word on when this game might debut and what price point it might feature. There's not even a vague release window available. That said, Magic 2014 will have a sizable presence at this weekend's PAX East conference, so expect more information to emerge from that event, alongside a deluge of opinions on the newest cards and gameplay mechanics from hardcore Magic: The Gathering players.

I got 2013 on the Steam Sale a while, my only complaint about these games is the deck editor is pretty slim. You can only manage cards in a particular deck and can not mix cards from other decks. Otherwise it a pretty decent Magic game for the price or for a smart phone.

If it's at the $10 price point like the others I'll definitely end up grabbing it.

Sure, I like to rag on mostly identical iterations of the same game as much as the next guy, but at the $10 price point I don't have to get more than 10 or so hours of play out of each version to feel like I've gotten my value out of it and so far Duels has delivered that much at least.

Hm, that's interesting. That black card is 100% new, like not in the actual card game, at all. Guessing it's a rare in the next core, wish he came out a lot earlier though, that blue black self mill deck back in innastrad would've loved him. Too bad it looks it's a green black deck, oh well.

And as said above, here's hoping for actual planeswalkers in the planeswalkers game. :p

Baldr:I got 2013 on the Steam Sale a while, my only complaint about these games is the deck editor is pretty slim. You can only manage cards in a particular deck and can not mix cards from other decks.

That's been my biggest issue with the series since the first game too, but since they've yet to include a full-featured deck editor in any of its numerous sequels, I long ago gave up hope that it might appear.

That said, if they ever DO add the option to build your own deck from scratch, I'll shower the game in hyperbolic praise. It's a fantastic adaptation of the card game otherwise.

Tiamattt:Hm, that's interesting. That black card is 100% new, like not in the actual card game, at all.

They're slated to debut the latest set of cards at PAX East, and it seems safe to assume that the card in that image will be among them.

Falterfire:The Planeswalkers in the title refers to the players, not the card type. A Planeswalker is You is the whole concept behind MtG in the first place after all.

I'm guessing still no actual card 'Walkers, unfortunately, although I can't remember if they've expressly said as much anywhere.

There have been Planewalker cards in Magic that were cards(Used as Allies), but that was a couple generations ago. There were none in 2013(game) as far as I know, and but may come back with the new cards(probably doubtful). I do understand your point.

Baldr:There have been Planewalker cards in Magic that were cards(Used as Allies), but that was a couple generations ago. There were none in 2013(game) as far as I know, and but may come back with the new cards(probably doubtful). I do understand your point.

?What? I can't tell what you're talking about here. Planeswalkers (the card type) are still showing up in new sets in Real Magic (Not just a 'couple generations ago'), but they have not ever shown up in the Duels of the Planeswalkers games in any form in any of the three versions to date.

Baldr:There have been Planewalker cards in Magic that were cards(Used as Allies), but that was a couple generations ago. There were none in 2013(game) as far as I know, and but may come back with the new cards(probably doubtful). I do understand your point.

?What? I can't tell what you're talking about here. Planeswalkers (the card type) are still showing up in new sets in Real Magic (Not just a 'couple generations ago'), but they have not ever shown up in the Duels of the Planeswalkers games in any form in any of the three versions to date.

I don't play the physical version anymore. That's why I may be out of the loop.

Baldr:There have been Planewalker cards in Magic that were cards(Used as Allies), but that was a couple generations ago. There were none in 2013(game) as far as I know, and but may come back with the new cards(probably doubtful). I do understand your point.

?What? I can't tell what you're talking about here. Planeswalkers (the card type) are still showing up in new sets in Real Magic (Not just a 'couple generations ago'), but they have not ever shown up in the Duels of the Planeswalkers games in any form in any of the three versions to date.

I don't play the physical version anymore. That's why I may be out of the loop.

So you just decided to guess without any knowledge whatsoever? Clever girl.

OT: This is the great. Now it just needs to go cross platform so I don't have to buy it 3 times, and unlock the same cards 3 time. That and so I can play mobile with Iphone users.

Kuredan:In M2013 you could unlock Ajani, Chandra, Jace, and Garruk if you played with the decks enough.

...Beg your pardon? I haven't seen any of this. Admittedly, I didn't buy the extra foil cards but still... I haven't seen or heard anything else of this. Have you done it, and would you be able to provide a source or reference or anything?

Abomination:I just want to know how they can be calling this 2014 when we're not even half way through 2013. At this rate we'll have 2016 in January of 2014.

It's called 2014 because the game is tied to the release of the MtG core set. Said set has the name '2014 Core Set', or M14 for short. It's been that way for a while: M10 came out in 2009, M11 in 2010, and so on. Not really sure why they aren't naming them after the current year, though. *shrug*

Abomination:I just want to know how they can be calling this 2014 when we're not even half way through 2013. At this rate we'll have 2016 in January of 2014.

It's called 2014 because the game is tied to the release of the MtG core set. Said set has the name '2014 Core Set', or M14 for short. It's been that way for a while: M10 came out in 2009, M11 in 2010, and so on. Not really sure why they aren't naming them after the current year, though. *shrug*

Well, that's just it. Why name it after a year when it's actually M13? Are they only going to release "M"s every year? Because it looks like they're going for one every 9 months.

Abomination:Well, that's just it. Why name it after a year when it's actually M13? Are they only going to release "M"s every year? Because it looks like they're going for one every 9 months.

I don't follow your logic. They've only ever released a core set once a year, once every two years back in the older days. M14 won't be out for a while yet, especially since they haven't released Dragon's Maze, the last set in the Return to Ravnica block. As far as I see it I figure Duels 14 will most likely be released sometime after Dragon's Maze, to fit in between it and M14.

Abomination:Well, that's just it. Why name it after a year when it's actually M13? Are they only going to release "M"s every year? Because it looks like they're going for one every 9 months.

I don't follow your logic. They've only ever released a core set once a year, once every two years back in the older days. M14 won't be out for a while yet, especially since they haven't released Dragon's Maze, the last set in the Return to Ravnica block. As far as I see it I figure Duels 14 will most likely be released sometime after Dragon's Maze, to fit in between it and M14.

I just have issue with companies releasing games titled the year after the actual year of release. "Magic 2014 - Duels of the Plainswalkers (2013)" buh?

Falterfire:The Planeswalkers in the title refers to the players, not the card type. A Planeswalker is You is the whole concept behind MtG in the first place after all.

I'm guessing still no actual card 'Walkers, unfortunately, although I can't remember if they've expressly said as much anywhere.

There have been Planewalker cards in Magic that were cards(Used as Allies), but that was a couple generations ago. There were none in 2013(game) as far as I know, and but may come back with the new cards(probably doubtful). I do understand your point.

It goes both ways: you, the player, are a "Planeswalker" in the old-school, nigh-omnipotent wizard sense. "Planeswalker" characters within the lore itself (i.e. the main five: Ajani Goldmane, Jace Beleren, Liliana Vess, Chandra Nalar, and Garruk Wildspeaker) are little more than sliders. They're still powerful as all get-up, but their not quite "god-like" like the player is.

I found the game on Steam only kept me entertained for a short while with the lack of deck building options but I think on a mobile device this will be a fantastic game. I'll be picking this up when it gets a release. A good way to see whether or not I should invest in some boosters when the 2014 core set is finally released too.

Abomination:I just want to know how they can be calling this 2014 when we're not even half way through 2013. At this rate we'll have 2016 in January of 2014.

Its done yearly to coincide with the magic set M14. "Technically" since M14 comes out in mid July, it will only be out for 5ish months of this year, and 7ish months of next year, so they have the number referring to the more important of the 2 possible years.(at least thats the way I see it)